This invention relates to method and apparatus for conversion of heat energy into mechanical energy and more particularly to an engine and method which will accomplish this in a continuous manner.
As we have discussed in our co-pending application (Ser. No. 491,128 filed July 23, 1974) there are certain disadvantages associated with prior art devices and methods of converting heat energy into mechanical energy in apparatus of the type that utilize a fuel expansion process wherein the expanded fuel itself is used as the main motivating force and is usually directed against an impeller, such as a turbine rotor blade, to produce useful work. The inherent disadvantage in such systems is basically that a substantial amount of the energy available in the expanded fuel can not be utilized efficiently to produce useful mechanical work since the energy is lost for various reasons including inability to direct the entire flow of the expanded fuel against impellers, premature exhausting of the fuel before the majority of useful energy has been extracted, and mechanical inefficiencies associated with many of the complicated prior art apparatus used to convert heat energy into mechanical energy in such a manner.